Container



Dec. 31, 1957 M. c. WEINER CONTAINER Filed Aug. 16, 1954 INVENTORQ MEYE2C WE/NEE.

g y 5 2M ATTORNEY.

VII/ 6 United States Patent CONTAINER Meyer C. Weiner, Grand Rapids,Mich assignor to Pennant Corporation, GrandRaplds, Mich.

Application August 16, 1954, Serial No: 449,997 6 Claims; ((11.220 -4)This invention relatesto the-constructionof containers of the type whichmay beeasily assembled froma series of simple components. A veryinexpensive and durable container may be constructed through the use ofthis invention, whichv includes opposite upper and lower frame members,a series of flat panels receivedwithin a channelshaped cross section oftheframe members, and a series of corner members which are also receivedwithinthe frame and which look the components into assembledrelationship. The frame is preferably constructed of. a resilientmaterial such as Sheet metal, and has an inwardly-turned portion on thelegs or the channel-shaped configuration which presents an abutmentfacing the inside of the channel. A discontinuity is provided in theends of the corner members which is received in the channel, with thiscontinuity being disposed to engage the inwardly-facing abutment on theframe components. The preferred and simplest arrangement for providingthe discontinuity of the corner members is to lance out a portion ofmaterial which has the added advantage of providing an inclined ramp tourge the resilient frame section open a sufiicient amount to snapproperly into engagement with the end of the lanced portion. When theengagement has once been elfected, the frames are locked in relationshipto each other, and the panels defining the enclosed space arecorrespondingly confined.

An arrangement further utilizing the resilience of the frame material isprovided for the securing of a bottom panel in position, where it restsfirmly upon a shelf formed in the cross section of the frame structure.An abutment on the inner leg of the channel-shaped cross section of theframe maintains the bottom panel against accidental upward displacement,the panel being snapped into position to the accompaniment of a certainamount of deflection of the channel material.

The several features of this invention will be discussed in detailthrough an analysis of the particular embodiments illustrated in theaccompanying drawing. In the drawing,

Figure 1 presents a perspective view of an assembled container embodyingthis invention.

Figure 2 is a section on an enlarged scale taken through the side of thecontainer shown in Figure 1, a portion of the unit being broken away toconserve space.

Figure 3 is a section taken on an enlarged scale on the plane 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, also on an enlarged scale showing thedetails of the corner member, with a portion thereof broken away toconserve space.

Referring to Figure 1, the illustrated container is fonned by the upperframe 10, the opposite lower frame 11, side and end panels as indicatedat 12 and 13, respectively, and corner members as shown at 14, 15, and16. The cover 17 is hinged at 18 and 19 to the upper frame 10.

The construction of the container is best indicated by a comparison ofFigures 2 and 3. Referring to Figure 2, the upper frame member is formedto establish a chanpol-shaped cross section between the legs 20 and 21.The

outer end of the leg 20 is turned inwardly at 22, and the inner end ofthe turned portion presents an inwardly facing abutment. Similarconstruction is provided at the bottom frame member 11, with thelaterally-offset portion 23 providing a shelf for receiving the bottompanel 24. The inner leg 25 of the channel portion of the lower frame 11is provided with a laterally'displaced portion 26 around which the panelsnaps into the illustrated position as the leg .25 deflects slightly.

The side panel structure of the container may include a seriesofoverlaid laminations as indicated at 27, 28, and 29. These are placedin engagement with the frames between the legs 20 and 21 of the upperframe and the legs 25 and 30 of the lower frame. At this point, theupper and lower frames could be separated so that the panels would bereleased. The assembly of the corner memhers, however, serves to lockupper and lower frame members in their assembledrelationship,.with thelanced-out portions 31 on the corner members snapping into engagementwith the abutments providedby the in-turncd portions 22. It ispreferable that the. corner members he angular in cross-section and ofsufficient extension oneach side to cover the junction of the sideand-end panels, as shown in Figure 3. When the componentshave beenassembled in the relationshipv shown in Figure 2, it becomes impossibleto separate the frames without displacing the side walls of the framemembers a sufficientamount to permitthe release of the projections 31 Itwill be noted that the sloping configuration reduced by the lanced-outportions 31 creates a ramp w ich aids in separating the side walls ofthe channels during the insertion of a corner member.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have beenillustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only, andare not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A container comprising: upper and lower opposite polygonal framemeans formed of resilient material having a channel-shapedcross-section, and having an in-turned portion providing an inwardlyfacing abutment on at least one side of said cross-section, and saidbottom frame means also having a laterally-offset shelf portionextending perpendicularly from one side of said channel-shapedcross-section and a projection overhanging said shelf portion, bothformed integrally with said bottom frame means; panel means received insaid channel-shaped crosssections and extending between said oppositeframe means to define an enclosed space; corner angle members disposedat corners of said frame means, the ends of said corner angle membersbeing received in said channelshaped cross-section and having aprojection engageable with said abutments, the resilience of said framematerial tending to maintain the engagement of said ends; and bottompanel means positioned on said shelf portion, the edges of said bottompanel being received between said shelf portion and overhangingprojection.

2. A container comprising: upper and lower opposite polygonal framemeans formed of resilient material having a channel-shapedcross-section, and having an inturned portion providing an inwardlyfacing abutment on at least one side of said cross-section, and saidbottom frame means having a laterally offset shelf portion extendingperpendicularly from one side of said channelshaped cross-section and aprojection overhanging said shelf portion, both formed integrally withsaid bottom frame means; panel means received in said channelshapedcross-sections and extending between said opposite frame means to definean enclosed space; corner angle members disposed at corners of saidframe means, the ends of said corner angle members being received insaid channel-shaped cross-section and having a projection engageablewith said abutments, the resilience of said frame material tending tomaintain the engagement of said ends.

3. A container comprising: upper and lower opposite polygonal framemeans formed of resilient material having a channel-shapedcross-section, and having an inturned portion providing an inwardlyfacing abutment on at least one side of said cross-section; panel meansreceived in said channel-shaped cross-sections and extending betweensaid opposite frame means to define an enclosed space; and corner anglemembers disposed at corners of said frame means, the ends of said cornerangle members being received in said channel-shaped crosssection andhaving a projection engageable with said abutments, the resilience ofsaid frame material tending to maintain the engagement of said ends.

4. A container comprising: upper and lower polygonal frame means formedof resilient material having a channel-shaped cross-section, and havingan in-turned portion providing an inwardly facing abutment on at leastone side of said cross-section; panel means received in saidchannel-shaped cross-sections and extending between said opposite framemeans to define an enclosed space; and corner members disposed atcorners of said frame means, the ends of said corner members beingreceived in said channel-shaped cross-section and having a discontinuityengageable with said abutments, the resilience of said frame materialtending to maintain the engagement of said ends.

5. A container comprising: opposite polygonal frame means formed ofresilient material and having a channel shaped cross-section, and alsohaving an inwardly facing abutment on at least one side of saidcross-section; panel means received in said channel-shapedcross-sections and extending between said opposite frame means to definean enclosed space; and corner members disposed at corners of said framemeans, the ends of said corner members being received in saidchannel-shaped cross-section and having a discontinuity engageable withsaid abutments, the resilience of said frame material tending tomaintain the engagement of said ends.

6. A container comprising: opposite polygonal frame means formed ofresilient material having a channelshaped cross-section, and having aninwardly facing abutment on at least one side of said cross-section;panel means received in said channel-shaped cross-sections and extendingbetween said opposite frame means to define an enclosed space; andcorner members disposed at corners of said frame means, the ends of saidcorner memhers being received in said channel-shaped cross-section andhaving a discontinuity engageable with said abutments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS362,097 Lewis May 3, 1887 1,186,642 Alamy June 13, 1916 2,183,174 SmithDec. 12, 1939 2,498,753 Deitsch Feb. 28, 1950 2,577,248 James Dec. 4,1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 237,694 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1925

